The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-22
GARLANDs FOR GRANTS TOMB.
The Grave Kept Constantly Fragrant by the
Floral Offerings of Friends.

The Grave Kept Constantly Fragrant by the
Floral Offerings of Friends.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
NEW YORK, May 21.-Seeing many oeauti-
full flowers hesped upon the tomb of General
Grant, which 1 visited the other day, my curl
osity was excited by the question, whore do
they all come from. and Go they other
purpose than to deck the great soldiers resting
place until they die? Garlands are appropriate
to the soldier, living dead. but the best men
not remembered always. and so the pro-
fusion of the flowers surprised me.
few days later. in conversation with Col.
Fred Grant, learned the sources of the gar
lands, and also that their usefulness outlive
their beauty
"My mother has always visited the tomb
every day until the last two weeks said Col.
Grant Then she caught cold, and it settled
into a serious illness, which has confined her to
her room and to the doctors care, SO that she
could not make her daily visits"
Does the family furnish all the floral decora-
tions which fill the vaultl asked.
''No, no indeed, we do not" replied Colonel
Grant "Once every week my mother takes out
large design made of cut flowers These re-
main there until she orders the guard to remove
them and replace them with the fresh ones she
may send So that all the time her selection of
flowers is there"
1.-The other flowers are from friends, then?,
'Sone are, but the majority from strang-
ers l can say that, daily, without exception
floral remem brances received from all parts
of the United States. We order them placed in
the vault, where they remain until faded and
withered"
who generally sends thers'
well, they come in all ways-from Grand
Army posts. clubs, societies, school and mission
children. Then, private people. both of this
and other countries, send beautiful! remem-
brances in floral work"
when the American Cub of Pitts burg" he
continued. celebrated the anniversary of Gen.
Grants birthday they SAINT me an invitation. and
l attended. At the same time they sent costly
pillow, of the most exquisite flowers l ever saw
a number of school children of Los Angeles
Cal. sent mass of beautiful flowers. which
reached here in perfect state of preservation.
They attracted great deal of admiration
f'What is done with all the faded fiowers?'
They never to waste" was the reply $50
icltatlons arrive in numbers daily from people
of all classes and stations in life. begging for
some memento from General Grants tomb
They ask something if il be no more than
withered leaf or bud. The guards are continually
promising the faded flowers to visitors ALWAYS
providing Mrs. Grant gives permission or has not
promised them elsewhere. Some get an entire
design. which they have framed to preserve the
faded flowers, but the demand is so much greater
than the supply. regardless of all the flowers re-
ceiyed daily, that they generally divided
Desmond a large pillow from the Generals
tomb Miss Desmond. l believe. intended to
present 1t to some post. Since my father was
buried know that not even faded bud taken
from his tomb has been thrown away"
NELLIE Rry